5 things that should have happened on Raw this week 

Many wrestling aficionados and critics believe there are many fan chants that are overdone in WWE and the “this is awesome” chant is the probable list topper.

However, when explaining the unpredictably of the opening match on Monday Night Raw this week, words such as electric, thrilling and captivating are all perfect adjectives to describe the seven-man gauntlet match that stole the entire show, and that can all be summarised into one phrase, “that was awesome”.

The rare 2-hour classic WWE presented was much more than a breath of fresh air. By deviating from their standardised norm, WWE managed to accomplish a feat of tasks heading into the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view this Sunday. From giving once white-hot superstars boatloads of momentum to creating actual suspense in the Universal Title picture, Raw succeeded in making a majority of its runtime worthwhile.

However, while the company got most of the writing spot on this week's Raw, there were certain aspects that left viewers disappointed, uninterested, and far from hyped for the upcoming PPV. Therefore, WWE could’ve avoided these discrepancies by tweaking the tried and tested formulae a bit more and delivered a solid show from start to end.

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#1 Rollins takes an electric bow

WWE needed to end Rollins hot streak in an enormous way

Even though Seth Rollins performance in the 7-man gauntlet match was highlighted by the fact that he delivered a record-breaking performance against two of the most protected superstars in the last ten years, “The Architect's” electric showing reminded fans how excellently he can craft a match if given the chance.

When Roman Reigns and Rollins were the first two competitors to start the match, most fans concluded that “the Big Dog” would reign supreme. However, WWE shattered that notion by having Rollins outlast Reigns in a thrilling match.

When John Cena was the next competitor in the match, fans knew that they were going to witness a mini classic, as Cena and Rollins' previous encounters at Summerslam 2015 and Night of Champions 2015 were some of the best in-ring matches of Cena’s career. Rollins and Cena delivered a similar scene.

However, this time around Rollins defeated Cena clean in the centre of the ring. At that point, there was no hotter superstar on Raw than Rollins, he had defeated Cena and Reigns back to back and to continue that hot streak WWE needed to send out another superstar that could give Seth a trilogy of hot matches.

But the next competitor was “the drifter” Elias, and while having Elias eliminate an exhausted Rollins is a perfect heel move, Rollins was on such a hot streak he needed to exit the match in spectacular fashion, and who better to provide that stunning blow than Finn Balor.

Balor vs Rollins for even five minutes should’ve been an electric encounter and it would’ve given Balor added momentum heading into the chamber by knocking off a competitor that gave 65 minutes of his energy in a 5-star performance. Instead, WWE had Rollins exit become a mediocre affair while that last five minutes of Rollins in the gauntlet could’ve been pure gold.

#2 Lesnar makes an impact

WWE needed to remind fans what on the line at Elimination Chamber

Compiling a list of the best moments from the opening seven-man gauntlet match would feature countless moments of shocking kick outs, amazing character work and thrilling finisher sequences. However, what made Raw’s opening match such a well-told story was WWE’s rare booking, booking that laid out an excellent plan.

Every Superstar involved in the match got boatloads of momentum heading into the Elimination Chamber match, as Rollins pinned two of the most protected Superstars over the last decade, Elias garnered excellent heat for eliminating a gutsy Rollins, Balor did his best to over a crafty Miztourage and Braun Strowman destroyed Miz and his lackeys in spectacular fashion.

And while Strowman’s destructive power being imposed over the Miz and the Miztourage was exceptionally fun, it was a predictable sight that shouldn’t have been the last scene heading into one of the most important matches of 2018.

Instead, WWE should’ve reminded fans of the reason these seven men are putting their bodies through pain inside the Chamber and they should’ve reminded fans using a much-needed appurtenance from the current Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar. A mere appearance from Lesnar was hugely important as this was the last Raw before the PPV this Sunday.

WWE needed to remind fans the enormous stakes involved, as the wrestler that walks out of Elimination Chamber the victor won't only be the number one contender for the Universal Championship, that man will probably main event Wrestlemania 34 alongside WWE’s resident beast, Brock Lesnar.

Whether it was an appearance from Paul Heyman translating his client’s thoughts across to his challengers, Lesnar coming face to face with Strowman after then “Monster Among Men’s” warning or even a small cameo from “the beast”, WWE should’ve had the WWE Universal Champion in some shape or form at Raw to remind fans what’s at stake inside the Elimination Chamber.

#3 The Bar vs Apollo and …

Titus Worldwide has that potential WWE isn't tapping into

Titus Worldwide is a concept that has potential to strike a chord with the WWE Universe. However, WWE’s handling of the group has been below average since its inception.

Even though Titus’s stable has seen huge victories over the likes of the Tag Team Champions Sheamus and Cesaro on three different occasions, it is difficult for the WWE Universe to take the Worldwide concept seriously after these wrestlers have been buried countless times, have less screen time and less to no credibility.

That is why on the last episode of Monday Night Raw, WWE’s creative team needed to have Titus introduce a new element to his apparent global brand.

After witnessing two previous matches of Titus and Apollo vs The Bar, WWE should’ve shaken things up, considering the perception that Titus Worldwide vs The Bar for the Raw Tag Team Championships might feature on the Elimination Chamber PPV card. Therefore, the way the company could’ve achieved this is by having a new addition to Titus’s posse debut on Raw.

Considering the fact that Titus Worldwide is more about finding a manager in Titus, his client Apollo, and a supposed accountant in Dana Brooke, doesn’t have the group a Worldwide feel to it as Titus proclaims. Whether it is a potential NXT call up in No Way Jose, an acquisition from 205 Live or Akira Tozawa returning to relevance by re-joining the stable, WWE could’ve made the third win over The Bar mean a lot more, and it could’ve given their apparent match at the Elimination Chamber PPV more hype.

#4 WWE add stakes to Wyatt vs Hardy

Wyatt vs Hardy needs a direction to succeed

Once upon a time, before Matt Hardy had returned to “Meekmahan’s” company, he was dominating the independent scene with one area of a wrestler’s persona, character. Hardy had stumbled upon a goldmine with The Broken Universe, and the main reasons for his wacky idea’s becoming moments of pure genius was due to its innovative and exciting development.

Over in WWE, a buzzard named Bray Wyatt was one of WWE’s most unique creations, and even though Wyatt was handled poorly over his decade-long run with the company, he found a niche on Smackdown Live which made him a star again.

That is why a feud between Broken Matt Hardy and eccentric Bray Wyatt was considered a dream program for a long time. Fast forward to last night’s edition of Raw and that once revered prospect had become a bad idea.

WWE’s uncanny ability to ruin concepts they don’t fully understand has an elongated history, and a feud which has endless possibilities constantly featuring a single segment of pointless laughing, broken promises and setting up a match that has been done at least half a dozen times is another piece of evidence of that.

That is why on the Raw before the Elimination Chamber PPV should’ve seen WWE take a completely different approach to setting up a final confrontation between these superstars. The alienate route should’ve been one simple tool to get the WWE Universe invested and that is staked.

Hardy vs Wyatt has no point in existing a separate programme and in the first place, it didn’t need a reason as their character merely crossing path would’ve sufficed as reason enough.

However, WWE managed to screw that idea up and now Wyatt and Hardy need a direction, and whether it could’ve been making their encounter a #1 contender match for the IC Title or loser leaves RAW match, any direction for this feud would’ve sufficed and that should’ve happened on RAW.

#5 The women get a real chance to shine

WWE needed to cap of Raw in a huge way

With all the praise directed towards the opening gauntlet match on Raw this week, as WWE managed to effortlessly use all seven of the men in the chamber match excellently, it is worth noting that the last hour of RAW and the main event scene was dominated by women’s wrestling on a go home episode of WWE’s flagship show.

And with that attention focused on the women this week, WWE should’ve used that opportunity to hype the first-ever women’s Elimination Chamber match in the company’s history more effectively. However, WWE dropped the ball with regards to this.

Instead of receiving a similar match like the men did earlier in the night WWE had the six competitors involved in the elimination chamber match compete in an overdone six-woman tag match that featured no show stealing wrestling and little to no intrigue created for the historic chamber match this Sunday.

WWE had countless options for Monday Night on RAW and they only seized half of it by only building up Nia Jax as a somewhat credible monster. Instead, WWE could’ve presented a historic moment in the chapter of Women’s wrestling, created tension between friends and test ally’s loyalty ahead of their major bout come Sunday.

That one way in which WWE could’ve achieved this was simple, by putting these competitors in a match that would test their ability to endure the pain they would experience at the elimination chamber and bout is a steel cage match.

Having a Cage match creates excitement but putting the sixth entrant at the Chamber match on the line could’ve created real tension that has been brewing over the last year between Bayley and Sasha Banks. It would’ve tested the strength of Absolution and proved whether the partnership between Mickie James and Alexa Bliss’s is authentic or not.

This segment would’ve also been a better indication for what fans could’ve expected this Sunday and have Nia Jax come out and destroy them after a gruelling cage match would’ve been the perfect way to let this historic match gain traction.

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